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A series of “stacked boxes” laid the foundation for this Sea Ranch–inspired home on a narrow site set on two flood zones and filled with protected redwoods.

An outdoor breezeway between the storage shed and the main house is ideal for outdoor dining.

Using a contemporary play on vintage ski cabins in Vermont, architect David R. Maclean designed a modern home that takes advantage of sweeping valley views and opens up to the surrounding forested landscape.

After an unprecedented year of earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires, a bright light has been shed on the benefits of building with concrete.

"The forest outside our windows brings us joy from the moment we wake up in the morning," says Jonah, "while we watch the hawks and birds and drink our coffee to the period of dusk when the deer pass through on their evening foraging and the fox come out of hiding."

With a home for his family along the Mississippi River waterfront, architect Barry Yoakum aimed to achieve the highest standards of energy performance and carbon mitigation without compromising on design. A modern anomaly among its historically styled neighbors, “the house is a fresh, authentic approach to climate change but also a piece of architecture,” he says. Its Pac-Clad aluminum panels with Bone White Energy Star coating reflect light differently from minute to minute while reducing solar heat gain. “The house will age well over time,” says Barry, who expects the cladding to have a long life span.

Working with a sumptuous material palette, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects designed a sprawling new residence in Palo Alto for Mark and Laura Pine. The teak wood and handmade Danish bricks that define the exterior are used inside as well; distressed stainless steel panels by Chris French Metal sheathe one side of the upper volume. Blasen Landscape Architecture chose Peruvian feather grass to flank the entrance walkway.

Set in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the 1950 Usonian gem has built-in furniture, red concrete floors, and views of Little Asylum Lake.

Floor plan of TreeGazer

The home went through an 18-month renovation period.

Designed by Hugh Kaptur and renovated by Albert Frey, this three-bedroom home evokes vintage glamour with natural stone, mirrored flourishes, and myriad terraces.